Understanding the implications of an ATS

Dear Sam:

The thought of applying to a large corporation overwhelms me. If my resume is just tossed into an applicant tracking system and not read by a human, how will I be able to break through the wall? Do you have any advice about writing a resume specifically for an ATS?

Dear Carla:

I’ll start by explaining that an applicant tracking system is a type of software that processes job applications and provides an automated way for companies to manage the recruiting and hiring process. An ATS sorts through thousands of resumes to search for keywords, thereby determining which resumes best fit the positions for which they were submitted.

An ATS can be used for screening candidates, applicant testing, scheduling interviews, managing the hiring process, checking references and completing new-hire paperwork. For employers, the integrated nature of the system streamlines the recruiting and application process, therefore saving time and money.

There is actually not much difference between an ATS and a human recruiter scanning your resume. In both cases, the reviewer is looking for certain criteria (keywords from the job description) to see if you meet the qualifications for the position. In some cases, human recruiters can actually be stricter, because they are also checking for spelling and grammar errors, formatting choices, gaps in employment, and more. It’s also not just Fortune 500 companies who use tracking systems in the recruitment process — they are becoming increasingly popular amongst small businesses as well.

The trick to ranking highly within an ATS is to closely match your resume to a specific job posting. Both the presence and prevalence of keywords matter. The system develops a ranking based on how closely a candidate’s resume matches each keyword and phrase and how many of the keywords and phrases it finds on the resume. Most of the keywords recruiters look for can be found in the Desired Skills or Qualifications sections of job postings.

If you know you must submit your resume through an ATS, it is important to submit it in the proper format.

Unfortunately, the time you spent making your resume aesthetically pleasing with tables and graphics will not show up in the software program, and could actually have a negative effect on your ranking if the system cannot interpret your information. Applicant tracking systems contain database fields for information such as a candidate’s name, contact information, work experience, education, employer details and periods of employment.

The systems try to identify this information on a candidate’s resume, but if a resume’s formatting is too complex, it won’t pull this information into the right fields and can sometimes miss the information entirely.

To avoid having your resume be seen as too complex to interpret, avoid submitting it as a PDF, don’t include tables or graphics, use standard terms and avoid starting your experience with dates (start it with your employer’s name, followed by your title, and then the dates you held that position). To be safe, you could also submit your resume in a plain-text version.

No matter if an employer chooses to use an ATS or a human recruiter as an initial screener, it is important to research the organization and customize your content for the position. Your resume should make it clear why you are a good candidate for that specific job. Samantha Nolan is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and owner of Nolan Branding, a fullservice resume writing firm. Have a resume or job-search question? Email dearsam@nolanbranding, visit nolanbranding.com or call 614-570-3442 or 1-888-952-3928.